How to Flick in Field Hockey

Co-authored by Adam Falla

Last Updated: June 24, 2024

The flick is an important movement in field hockey, in which a player shoots or “flicks” the ball by elevating it with their stick. It’s the move that a player uses to shoot penalties, but it’s also very useful in normal gameplay. The way to learn how flick is to first make sure your body is positioned properly, and then perform the right movements with your body and stick to elevate the ball in a certain direction.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Positioning Your Body

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1
Use a basic grip with your dominant hand below your non-dominant one. Hold the stick as you would for a push, with your non-dominant hand at the top of the stick and your dominant hand at the bottom of the leather grip. Make sure that the places where your thumbs and index fingers meet on your hands are both pointed towards the toe edge of the stick.
- A “push” or “push pass” in field hockey is the basic form of passing, in which you use your stick to push the ball toward another player.
- The toe edge is the edge that leads into the curved part of the stick.
- The place where your thumb and index finger touch is referred to as the “V” in field hockey.
- If you push the stick out in front of you, you should be able to read a watch on your wrist. If you cannot, because your wrist is too rotated forward, then you need to move your wrist and hand position backwards on the stick to get the proper position.
This is about equivalent to 1 stick length plus 1 step away from the ball. If you’re taking a penalty shot, you may be positioned a bit farther away from the ball. However, you should always be at least this far away to allow yourself enough time to step with force toward the ball.^{[1]
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3
Position yourself so you’re facing away from your target. Plant your feet so that they face 90 degrees away from the goal or whatever target you want to flick toward. Make sure to put your non-dominant foot on the side of your body closest to the goal.
- For example, if you’re right-handed, face your body 90 degrees to the right of the goal, so that your left foot is closer to the goal than your right.
Warning: In field hockey, any raised shot (i.e., a shot above knee height) that isn’t aimed at the goal and that is dangerous to another player will be penalized. Make sure you’re always flicking towards the goal to avoid a penalty.
Turn your body slightly toward your dominant side so that your hips and upper body are facing even further away from the goal than your feet. This will give you the necessary torque and power to perform an effective flick.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Performing the Movement

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1
Step with your non-dominant foot, then bring your other foot forward. The first stride with your non-dominant foot should be a long step toward the ball. Then, cross your dominant foot behind your non-dominant foot as you bring it to within about 1 foot (0.30 m) of the ball. Your dominant foot should be about 1 foot (0.30 m) behind your non-dominant foot.
- If you’re not able to bring your right foot this close to the ball in 2 steps, do a slight hop toward the ball after you cross your right foot behind your left foot.
Tip: You may need to take a big step to get enough power behind your shot. Use the strength in your legs as much as you can to make your flick a strong one.
2
Lean your upper body down and bring your stick down to touch the ball. Do not hit the ball with your stick; just gently bring the 2 into contact with each other. Make sure to keep your back straight while leaning your torso down.^{[2]
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- Your upper body should be roughly parallel to the ground at the end of this step.
- Make sure you get really low so you can have more power behind your flick. Keep your body low throughout the entire swing.
- Be sure to keep your eye on the ball throughout this process.
3
Roll the ball forward on your stick while shifting your weight forward. If you started this movement by putting your left leg forward, then begin to shift your body weight onto your left foot. Rolling the ball this way will cause it to move slightly up the shaft of the stick as you move your upper body closer to the ground.
- You may need to rotate the front face of your stick back a bit in order to get more elevation on your flick.
Tip: As you become more proficient at flicking, aim to keep the ball on the stick for longer to flick it higher. You can also control the direction of the flick, opening up the stick face early to flick right, or twisting the stick to the left to throw the ball left.
4
Sling the ball forward when your body is parallel to the ground. Push the ball in a straight line into the air and toward your target. Be sure to stay low throughout the entire swing to maximize the amount of force you’re putting on the ball.
- For a high shot, release the ball forward when the stick is slightly below your leading knee.
- For lower shots, sling the ball as soon as the stick is about as high as your ankle.
5
Follow through with your entire body when you sling the ball. Turn your hips and shoulders towards the goal as you bring the stick forward across your body. Smoothly wrap the stick around and below your front shoulder. All of your weight should be resting on your leading foot at the end of this movement.^{[3]
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- Watch where your stick swings! Keep your stick below shoulder height in the follow through to avoid hitting other players in the head and attracting a penalty.

Expert Q&A

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What is the meaning of a drag flick in field hockey?

Adam Falla
Field Hockey Coach
Adam Falla is a Field Hockey Coach and the Director at Leap Hockey in Austin, Texas. Adam co-founded Leap Hockey, an online platform to help players develop their skills & hockey fitness. Adam has been coaching for over 25 years in the UK & US and was one of the US Men's Masters Coaches at the Exin World Cup in Teresa, Spain 2018. He has also been the Head Coach at Lonestar FHC.

Adam Falla

Field Hockey Coach

Expert Answer

A drag flick is a new technique that has evolved in order to score goals. It requires the attacker to drag the ball along the floor for a couple of steps before twisting, rotating the body, and angling the stick (a bit like a golf swing).

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Question

What does wrist acceleration have to do with drag flicking in field hockey?

Community Answer

The faster the wrist, the farther the ball will go. Just make sure your wrist speed doesn't get in the way of your aim.

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How do I stop the ball penalty corner?

Community Answer

To dead stop, you just angle your stick down at about a 60 degree angle. Then you keep your arm and hand firm and stop the ball. Note: It can hurt sometimes for the force/impact!

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